Washboard



Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `A 2,271,512. WASHBOARD' Warren'PQGriiiths, Trenton, N. J.

Application August 10, 1940, Serial No. 352,109

2 Claims.

This invention relates to washboards and more particularly to a washboard of small size which is adapted to be held in the hand of the user.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a small washboard which is simple in construction, which may be quickly and easily made of durable material free from undesired roughness and which is particularly adapted for washing small articles such as stockings, socks, handkerchiefs, lace, lingeries, infants clothes, and the like and for the washing of spots in table linen, garments, and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a small washboard adapted to be held in the hand of the user and which has improved provisions for hand gripping.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the annexed specification and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the device shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from the top of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of a modied form of the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 3.

It will, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that Various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention,

Referring more particularly to the drawing it will be seen that the washboard of the present invention is formed as a plate I0, preferably of a single piece of material, and has substantially parallel side edges II and I2, and end portions I 4 and I5. The plate I0 is free from objectionable rough or sharp portions which would tear or injure the fabric and may be made of any suitable material such as hard rubber, synthetic plastic, light metal, such as aluminum, or a suitable metal alloy which is light in weight. The end portion I4 has a notch or cut-out I6 spaced therealong from the side edge II and extending inwardly to provide a thumb receivingopening, the cut-out I6 preferably being shaped for engagement with the base or root portion of the thumb of the user, or in the first joint of the thumb, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

The plate I0 preferably has the main portion thereof substantially flat and has an upwardly inclined portion I'I terminating at the end p0rtion I5. The end portion I5 preferably is provided with a plurality of cut-outs or indentations I8 spaced therealong for engagement by the tips of the fingers of the user, as hereinafter more fully referred to.

The lower surface of the plate I0 is preferably smooth and the upper surface of the plate I0 is provided with suitable corrugations I9. The corrugations I9 may be of any selected shape or configuration but are preferably transversely disposed and run from the side edge II to the other side edge I2.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the body of the plate member I0 is preferably flat from the end portion I4 to the end portion I5. The corrugations I9 preferably extend transversely from the side edge I2 but are terminated short of the side edge II to provide a'space or field 20 for the imprinting of an advertising message,

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the washboard is preferably of molded construction, but it will be understood that it may be made as a metal stamping from thin sheet metal with suitable reinforcing along the edges thereof.

The plate rII) preferably has a hole 2| located near one end thereof so that the same may be hung up on a hook (not shown) when not in use.

The washboard of the present invention is preferably adapted to be gripped with the notch I6 disposed around the thumb of the user at the base or root thereof, or at the rst joint of the thumb, and with the plate IIJ held in position by the engagement of the ends or tips of the fingers of the same hand in the finger notches I8 provided along the edge. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 the inclined portion II will bear against one or more of the fingers and the flat portion of the plate Ill will be supported upon and rest on the hand adjacent the base of the first and second fingers. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the gripping is provided by the slight pressure exerted by the finger tips in the finger notches I8 and the plate I0 is thus held in position against the root or base of the thumb or in the first joint thereof.

It will thus be seen that the washboard of the present invention is simple in construction, inexpensive to make in large quantities, and yet for its size affords a relatively large surface for rubbing in the washing operation.

I claim:

1. A hand washboard for support wholly by and within one hand of the user consisting of a plate having a pair of opposed parallel side edges and having a pair of opposed parallel terminal end portions to be spaced within the connes of the hand of the user, said plate being smooth and uninterrupted on one face thereof and provided on the other face thereof with washboard corrugations disposed between said end portions, said Aplate having the main portion thereof between said end portions substantially ilat, one of said terminal end portions having a notch extending inwardly adjacent one of the side edges for engagement by the thumb of the user and the other of said terminal end portions having a plurality of indentations for respective engagement by the nger tips of the samehand of the user.

2. A hand washboard for support wholly by and within one hand of the user consisting of a plate having opopsite terminal end portions to be spaced within the confines of the hand of the user and provided with washboard corrugations disposed between said end portions, said plate having the main portion thereof between said end portions substantially at and having a portion adjacent one end portion upwardly inclined, one of said end portions having a notch extending inwardly for engagement by the thumb of the user. y

WARREN P. GRIFFITHS. 

